Items tagged with Amazon

Amazon and Marvel teamed up to bring comics to the Kindle Store this week, expanding a digital distribution model that has already brought Marvel comics to millions of devices. Amazon recently acquired comiXology, which developed the wildly popular Marvel Comics apps for Android and iOS. Kindle Fire readers were already able to read comics (including singles) thanks to comiXology, but now Kindle users will have also have access to singles in the Kindle Store. “Amazon, comiXology and Marvel share a passion for expanding the audience for comic books and graphic novels worldwide,” said David Naggar,...Read more...

As BlackBerry clings to a less 1 percent share of the smartphone market in the U.S., the Canadian handset maker announced today that all BlackBerry users living stateside will soon have access to Android apps from the Amazon Appstore. While access to Google Play would have been preferred, the Amazon Appstore is a nice consolation prize for anyone wanting to run Android apps on their BlackBerry phone. Access to Amazon Appstore comes courtesy of the BlackBerry 10.3.2 software update. It's already begun rolling out to BlackBerry Classic users on Verizon and T-Mobile, along with AT&T BlackBerry...Read more...

Amazon announced an updated version of the Kindle Paperwhite e-reader today. It’s a modest launch for a device that has modest, though worthwhile improvements. If you don’t own a Kindle, the Paperwhite’s new features probably won’t inspire you to pre-order. If you already own an aging Kindle, the features might make an upgrade worth it. For one thing, the price is staying at $119, keeping the six-inch Kindle Paperwhite closer to the more streamlined Kindle’s $79 price than the deluxe Voyage’s $199 price tag. The new Amazon Kindle Paperwhite.More importantly, the Paperwhite now has Bookerly, Amazon’s...Read more...

Amazon has been obsessed with figuring out ways to get packages into the hands of its customers at a faster pace, hence services like Amazon Prime that offer free two-day shipping on millions of items and the rollout of same-day delivery in select areas. However, Amazon's next initiative may be more focused on saving the company money as delivery costs skyrocket.The reported service is known internally as "On My Way." Specific details are lacking, mainly because it's a concept at the moment and there's a lot that still needs to be figured out, but it would rely on regular people to delivery packages....Read more...

At first glance, Google’s debut app for its newly-launched “free app of the week” promotion is a bit of a head-scratcher. Instead of offering a popular utility or game to pull customers from the Amazon App Store, Google’s Play Store is handing out an app for kids. This week, you can save your $2.99 and download Daniel Tiger Grr-ific Feelings by PBS Kids free for your Android device. Amazon has been running free app promotions for quite a while, so it’s not surprising that Google is providing a little competition. Weirdly though, Google is burying its free app in a family fun section,...Read more...

In a move that some will call long overdue, Amazon has just released its first-ever transparency report. While it'd be easy to think that Amazon wouldn't receive nearly as much legal pressure as social media companies like Google, Facebook, and Twitter, it actually does deal with it on a near daily basis. From the short period between January 1 and May 31, 2015, Amazon received a total of 813 subpoenas. Of those, 542 warranted a full response, 126 received a partial response, and the other 145 received no response at all. Amazon was even hit with 25 search warrants, with 21 of those resulting in...Read more...

When it comes to video streaming, YouTube is the king of the castle. Google’s video property is the dominant streaming platform and you’ll find everything from movies, to how-to guides, to adorable puppy videos that could keep you entertained for years on end. But for those who are into streaming of a different sort, say for example game streaming, the best option out there has been Twitch. When Google lost out on a bid to acquire Twitch last year, it was only a matter of time that it would come clawing back with a solution of its own. That day is today, with Google officially announcing YouTube...Read more...

As part of its commitment to achieving 100 percent renewable energy usage for its global footprint, Amazon this week announced that it has partnered with Community Energy to build and operate an 80 megawatt solar farm in Accomack County, Virginia. They'll call it Amazon Solar Farm U.S. East and expect it to generate around 170,000 megawatt hours (MWh) of solar power each year beginning in October 2016. That's enough energy to power around 15,000 U.S. homes in a year. Amazon said it will be the largest solar farm in Virginia, but rather than use the energy it harnesses to power households, it will...Read more...

Amazon is going to build its very first PC game. Yes, that Amazon, the one that started off as an online bookstore and now rules the e-commerce scene with everything from diapers to car parts. It's not yet know what type of game it will be or what the plot will involve, only that it's currently working on "an ambitious new PC game project." To get the job done, Amazon is looking to expand its talent pool of developers. The Seattle-based team that's working on the PC game project is currently comprised of former Portal, World of Warcraft, and BioShock creators. They've also worked on titles like...Read more...

It’s long been said that Apple’s efforts to tackle “the cloud” have often come up short. Apple has seemingly struggled to get a firm grip on cloud data starting with iTools, which subsequently morphed into .Mac, MobileMe, and to its current incarnation as iCloud. In the past, Apple has rented server capacity from various vendors -- such as Amazon and Microsoft -- to support its cloud services like iCloud. In addition, Apple has taken the easy (but not always efficient) approach of using off-the-shelf hardware like Cisco switches and HP servers in its growing army of data centers. However, Apple...Read more...

Amazon's digital assistant and home entertainment gadget called Echo is continually being updated with new tricks and features. For example, it recently learned the ability to report the traffic and can now report on sports scores, tap into Pandora, and is compatible with connected home devices from WeMo and Philips Hue. But the newest trick Amazon just added to Echo's growing stable is to play audiobooks."Now you can listen to audiobooks from Audible with Echo," Amazon stated in an email. "Audiobooks offer a great way to enjoy your favorite books while relaxing, cooking, or spending time together...Read more...

Your existing game console is about to be behind the times. That's because all three major console players - Microsoft, Nintendo, and Sony -- have something new up their respective sleeves. Starting with Microsoft, the company is planning to release a revised Xbox One console that comes with 1TB of onboard storage and a tweaked game controller. We learned a little about the new controller just over a week ago when Microsoft updated one of its support pages to reflect the addition of a 3.5mm audio port. Microsoft revealed that it would be available on controllers released after June 2015, but didn't...Read more...

Have you ever been turned off to buying a low cost item online because the shipping charges were too high? Amazon feels your pain. The mega online retailer is reportedly introducing free shipping on thousands of smaller and popular items, things like mobile phone accessories, makeup, and other lightweight items and low cost goods.You don't need to be an Amazon Prime member, a $99 per year subscription service that offers free two-day shipping on millions of items, nor do you have to spend a minimum amount. The caveat? Shipping could take four to eight business days, depending on where you live...Read more...

The streaming set-top box market is a crowded one to compete in, and if you're looking for a reason to go with one over another, Amazon's pitch is that its Fire TV is exploding with apps. Or in Amazon's words, "Fire TV has the fastest growing selection of any streaming media device." Amazon bases that claim on having added over 600 channels, apps, and games to the Fire TV in just the past three months alone. Some of the new offerings include Popcornflix, Funny Or Die, Candy Crush Saga, and Fox News. One of the bigger additions, however, is that of the GameFly streaming service -- it's now available...Read more...